The Zoomerist is a place we can all ask questions and get answers from an array of top experts. Here is my own story in brief, because I’d like to explain how my own views on beauty and fashion and that whole world have changed with my own experiences. I’m 55, and began in journalism 34 years ago, in the food department at Toronto Life magazine. I was hired as the Fashion Reporter for The Globe and Mail in the mid-90s, the era when supermodels were on the rise, and models gradually got thinner from there (heroin chic, et al). By the time I took over FASHION magazine at the turn of the millennium, celebrities had taken over magazine covers, and the idealized beauty standards in fashion somehow became even more unattainable. But things have started to change. For the past nearly 15 years, I’ve been writing features for Zoomer Magazine, as well as columns for the Toronto Star and The Kit, and in that time, I’ve been thrilled that the conversation—and the copy, and the people in the spotlight—has shifted to start to include that broader definition of beauty. We aren’t there yet, there is work to be done, and in particular, ageism is a huge mountain that needs to be climbed.
In my own life, I’m getting better at sitting with ageing and the unavoidable effects of time and gravity. I don’t look like I did at 35, and I can’t be bothered any longer to mourn that. I’m not quite at full acceptance, but I do believe that we can all get there if we talk about it more. We have a lot to learn from the generations that come after us: Millennials and Gen Zers are far ahead of us on body acceptance and individuality in self-expression. They genuinely want to see us age with more confidence and style, to lead the way because they look at life differently. That doesn’t mean we can’t fight back against time—plastic surgery and cosmetic enhancements are a viable option, and we will bring you news from that frontier as well, and believe no one should judge whether you do or don’t take that plunge. Ageing naturally is just as valid a viewpoint.
Fashion should be empowering, not a problem to be solved, or a bulge to be covered up. We will get top stylists to help your unleash your style again. Some of our questions will be ripped from celebrity headlines. Others will address super practical subjects. We want your voice, and your concerns in here. Let’s make this a dialogue about how to age in style, with attitude.
Always asking questions,
Leanne Delap
